Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane"

Observations of

Observations:

Reality:

    The opening scenes of the film begin with the “No Trespassing” sign.  It is interesting that the end of the film also shows this image.  The viewer is brought past the sign closer and closer to Xanadu, in a way that seems that we are not supposed to be there.  The mood is desolate, alone and sad.  The property is unkept.  There is a golf course with the par four stating 365 yards. Perhaps this eludes to the property being in disarray year round.  The one lit window isolates Kane in his castle.  Its constant position in the frame shows that Kane never leaves this room. The only thing keeping Kane company is his excessive 'collection of everything.'

News on the March:

    The Newsreel is cut fast and with precision.  This is similar to Kane at his best, when he takes control of the newspaper, the Inquirer.  Kane is described as having sprawling empire encompassing many industries.  We see Thatcher for the first time and it is mentioned that the young Kane strikes him in the stomach with a sled.  This is shown to be critical to the movie as a whole by first being talked about here, then played out in a flashback. 

    Later on in the newsreel Kane is described as a communist by one and a fascist by another.  Nonetheless, he is stated as creating his own news stories.  I find it interesting that this is stated.  It is mentioned here because his life created headlines, but it is also truthful in the literal since when Kane does create his own stories, especially about Susan.

Thatcher's Narrative:

    We are introduced to Kane as a child in Thatcher's narrative where he is taken away from his parents.  Welles uses very long shots in many of the scenes to allow the viewer to pay close attention to detail.  Within this narrative, Kane is seen having no control over his life.  His mother's empathy for him is seen only for a second at the beginning of her scene as well as the very last seconds.  Otherwise she comes off as cold.  

    Thatcher sees Kane in hindsight as ungrateful and naïve.  Kane doesn't want the new sled given to him at Christmas.  Kane is only interested in the newspaper.  But, this is perhaps where Kane is the most self reflective.  “I always gagged on the silver spoon,” he says, adding, “If I wasn't rich, I would have been a great man.”

Bernstein's Narrative:

    Bernstein has the most fun-loving and optimistic view of Kane.  At the beginning he does note, however, that “pretty girls make impressions.”  Bernstein contrasts Thatcher's accounts, even calling him a fool.  He states that Kane didn't want money.  He also notes that Leland never had a nickel.

    We also see in this narrative Kane at his best.  He is well organized and a great leader when he takes over the Inquirer.  It is here where we see Kane develop his Declaration of Principles.  He transforms the Inquirer from trash to truth.

    The atmosphere is of a happy tone throughout the narrative brought on through upbeat music and comic scenes.  Bernstein does say that Kane will become president.  Also he says that Emily is no Rosebud.  He believes Rosebud is something that Kane lost.  In addition, an interesting note about Kane marrying 'the president's niece' is that FDR married Teddy Roosevelt's niece.

Leland's Narrative:

    “Charlie wasn't brutal, he just did brutal things,” Leland says with his continual bluntness.  As Kane's best friend, Leland remembers the man rather objectively and pointedly.  He states that Kane's only conviction was himself.  It is here where we see Kane in private moments, showing how much he must have confided in Leland.  Also, a great deal of time passes as we see Kane drift away from his wife.  Leland says outside of this narrative that the new Chronicle writers would change the paper without him knowing.  This comes to fruition when they decide on the headline: “Fraud at the Polls, Kane Defeated.”  The presumption that fraud was to blame for the defeat was only done to grease the wheels of the recovery of Kane's pride.  The larger than life angles of Kane, especially in his speech,  exemplify his unexaggerated and overextended ego.  

    Leland was very inspired by Kane's Declaration of Principles.  He even asked for the original copy back.  This is why he takes it upon himself to leave New York for Chicago.  It is in Chicago where Leland adheres to Kane's idea and begins a scathing, but truthful review of Susan's performance at the opera house.  Kane was always trying to prove something.  He never finished anything in his life.  When he found out about the Leland's review, Kane finally broke from tradition and finished the review for Leland.  I believe that is why he fired Leland.  Not because of the betrayal, but because of the truth that he and Leland unwittingly acknowledged.

Susan's Narrative:

    With Susan's Narrative the camera is almost always pointing down at her.  She was always beneath Kane.  She was an example of the people who's rights of which he was a champion.  It was evident that he could not practice what he preached.  There was a spark that shined when the two first met.  Perhaps he met a kind of girl that he would have met had he not been taken away from home at such a young age.  But, this is where the respect ended.  Soon Kane has a mold ready for her to fill even though it is of the wrong shape and size.  The sound is quite dramatic at times.  In time we are not just looking down at Susan, but at Kane as well.  This positions the audience above Kane for the first time as if he has finally sunk his farthest depth.  It is only when Susan leaves Kane that the camera drifts back down.  We see her for the first time stand up for herself, so she appears strong and larger than life.

Raymond's Narrative:

    Raymond wants the money.  That is why he worked for Kane, that is why he is giving his account.  “He acted funny sometimes, the old man,” he says describing his employer for eleven years.  He adds “He said all kinds of things that didn't mean anything.” 

    The effect of Kane walking past the mirror shows how broken apart he has become.  He splits apart into oblivion.  After death his belongings are thrown into the fire.  At last we see 'Rosebud' written on the sled as it burns.  The smoke from the fire rises through the chimney, up through the sky, perhaps on its way to reunite with Kane high above the earth. 

Rosebud:

    The revelation of Rosebud at the end of the film is an important one.  This in addition to the snow globe illustrates that there is more to the story than meets the eye.  During Thatcher's narrative we see Kane as a young boy playing in the snow.  His mother says some kind words to him and then we see that Kane's life is about to change forever.  The house in the snow globe resembles his childhood home.  

    When Thatcher tells the young Kane that he will be going away and that his mother will not be coming with him, Kane tries to push Thatcher away with his sled.  Kane's life was open to him at that time.  He had a normal childhood ahead of him that would fulfill enough of his wants and desires.  This was taken away from him and he was given the silver spoon.  The same spoon that he said he always gagged on.  

    The fact that Kane's early life was simple is highlighted by the snow globe.  A simple scene that perhaps grounded him to those years.  There was a mystery within the less than privileged life that he could have had.  But, he was given anything he wanted under the watchful eye of Thatcher.  This led him to the acquiring of just about everything.  

    I find it interesting that Kane's son was only remembered in one narrative.  His exclusion from the most of the story and his death at about the same age as when Kane was ripped away from his mother serves as a microcosm for Kane's fate.  Kane also died at a young age, but he was reborn.  He did not ask for what he was given in life.  In death, he only asked for the memory of the life that was stolen from him.